Safety device for blowing-engines.



H. G. 'OR EILLY.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR BLOWING ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.26. 19H.

1 v Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

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APPLICATION FILED APILZG, 19H- A-pr' 27,

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H. G. OREILLY. SAFETY DEVICE FOR BLOWING ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.26, 19H. Patented Apr. 2/, 1910.

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, SAFETY DEVICE FOR BLOWING ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED APILZG, 19H.

Patented Apr. 27; 1915.

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HEN.RY G.

OREILLY, 0F JOLIET,

ILLINOIS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR BLOWING-ENGINES.

Application filed April 26, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY G. OREILLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Joliet, in the county of \Vill and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for BlowingEngines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to blowing engines and has particular reference to a safety device for use in connection with blowing engines of the Southwark type.

In the operation of blast furnaces, mines, etc, it becomes necessary to supply a large volume of air under pressure. In blast furnace practice this is accomplished by means of batteries of large blowing engines. Usually siX double expansion Corliss engines are direct-connected to the Southwark blowers in order to supply the blast to each furthe piston is inches in diameter and the steam piston is 36 inches in diameter. It will thus be seen that the effective area of the air compression piston is 2827 square inches whereas the effective area of the steam piston is 1017 square inches, therefore any material increase in the air pressure of the main will be multiplied relative to the steam pressure and tend to stall the engine and reverse its operation. This increase in pressure is not uncommon in blast furnace practice, due to the frequency of the unavoidable slips. These are caused by the upper supply of material becoming temporarily wedged and not descending as material is consumed or removed from the This will continue until the material which is wedged subsequently becomes loosened and fa1ls, frequently with disastrous results. In the present instance the result is that the pressure in the blast main is very greatly increased, this pressure being suflicient to stall the engines and reverse their operation. This, in itself, would not be particularly dangerous or undesirable, in

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2?, 1915.

Serial No. 623,550.

view of the fact that the steam pressure would soon overcome the back pressure in the main. But while the engine is running backward the intakes of the blowing engines become discharge ports and the blast furnace gases are discharged into the engine room. In view of the high capacity of the blowers the engine room is quickly filled w th a mixture of highly explosive gas and air and this gas coming in contact with lights or fires, will cause an explosion so disastrous as to wreck the engines and the buildings containing them.

As heretofore explained, the blowing engines are usually run in batteries, all being unlted to a main, the constant pressure in the main being comparatively high. In case one engine of the battery is disabled or must be shut down for any reason, it will be seen that the pressure in the main will be exerted upon the air compression piston of the disabled blower and because of its much greater area than that of the steam cylinder, will reverse the engine, and, no means being present for stopping the same, it will and repeatedly has reached so great a speed as to burst the flywheel and cause other damage.

As has been explained, the engines operating these blowers are very large and it is desirable, when their operation is stopped, that they be stopped at a point ofi' center in order that they may start again. I have,

therefore, devised means for use in 'connection with a blowing engine such as heretofore described which will be automatic in operation, cheap to construct and which will, without question, avoid the dangers and secure the advantages heretofore set forth.

My device is adapted for connection to a valve gear of a blowing engine, does not interfere with the normal operation of the engine or add operating expense thereto and which will, in the emergencies above described, act automatically and without strain on any of the mechanism.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a blowing engine as heretofore described, the steam cylinder and valve gear therefor being omitted as constituting no part of my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2, 2, of Fig.

. nection with 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3, 3', of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation of the blowing engine cylinder; Fig; 5 is a side elevation of the valve forming part of my invention, and Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive. are diagrammatic illustrations of the action of the blowing engine valve mechanism in conmy improved safety device therefor. V

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that a steam engine cylinder, not shown, is adapted to actuate'a piston rod 15 upon which is mounted a piston 16. This piston reciprocates Within a cylinder 17 having heads 18,18 within which are located the intakes 18 and outlets 18 The valves, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, are composed of valve seats 18, which are in the form of vertically extending grids, the valve members 18 being adapted for sliding movement on the face of the seats. Thus a small amount of movement in either direction operates touncover or cover a large area. As will be seen by Fig. 4, the upper half of the cylinder contains the outlet valves and the under half the inlet valves. The outlet .ports are connected to suitable conduits 1-9, 19, in the form of a Y, these two members uniting into one branch 20. The connection to the main is not shown.

As described, the upper half of the cylinder on either end is controlled by the 'outlet valves and the lower half of the cylinder on either end, by the inlet valves. The outlet valves and their actuating mechanism are llgi est shown in Fig. 2, the inlet valves in is will be seen, the outlet valves are closed positively but are opened by pressure applied to an actuating cylinder, Whereas the inlet valves are opened as well as closed positively. 'These valves are controlled by a cam rod 21, best shown in Fig. 1. This rod is connected to a rocker 22, pivoted at 23, and to this rocker is connected the outlet valve actuating rod 24 and the inlet valveactuating rod 25.

On the inlet valve-actuating rod 25 are carried two cam members 26, 27, there being adjustable connecting means 28 therebetween. These cams 26, 27 are mounted for reciprocation in the'housings 29, 30, secured to the heads or valve casings 18 of the cylinder 17. Also mounted within the housings are rockers 31, 32, ada ted for oscillation on the pivots 33, 34. bnnected to the rockers 31, 32, by means of the pivot pins 35, 36, are valve stems 37, 38, to which are connected the valves 18, controlling the air inlets.

The outlet valve-actuating rod 24 also carries two valve closing cams 39, 40, adjustably connected by suitable means such as the rod 41. These cams are adapted for reciprocation within housings 42, 43, se-

cured to the heads 18 of the blowing cylinder. The housings 42, 43, contain cylinders 44, 45, 'within which are mounted pistons 46, 47. These pistons 46, 47, are connected to valve stems 48, 49, by means of suitable keys 50. Also carried by the piston are rollers 51, adapted for coiiperation with the cams 39, 40, and by this means the valves are positively closed.

For opening the valves, it will be seen that there are provided inlet ports 52, having communication with pipes 53, which are in communication with the blowing engine cylinder through pipes 55, 56, at 57, 58.

Mounted in the pipes 55, 56, are m novel valves, by means of which are elimlnated the difficulties heretofore experienced in the operation of this type of blowing engine. Each valve is composed of a valve casing 59, having three ports 60, 61, 62, a valve stem 63, a valve 64, and an operating lever 65. This lever is connected to the valve operating rod by means of an arm 66, carrying on one end thereof a roller 67, cooperating with the elongated slot 68 in the lever 65. The arm 66 is secured to the part 41 by means of a suitable fastening strap 69. Inasmuch as the valves on each side are identical in construction, I deem it necessary to describe but one thereof in detail. The

illustration of Fig. 5 shows the valve as ed flow of air under pressure from the blowing engine cylinder into the valve actuating cylinder 52, and to permit a restricted escape of air from the valve actuating cylinder 52 to the atmosphere when the respective pistons 46 and 47 are being positively actuated by the cams 39 and 40, such restricted escape of the air operating to cushion the respective pistons 46 and 47 so as to prevent hammering thereof against the inner ends of the cylinders 52. It will here be explained that this cushioning of the pistons 46 and 47 is accomplished by my safety valve 59, and therefore the valve 54 is not essential to the present invention, although it mav remain in place without affecting the operation of the invention.

Now that I have described the mechanism of the blowing engine to which my invention 1s applied, I will proceed to a description. of the operation of the device in order to illustrate its effectiveness in operation. For this purpose, I have prepared siX diagrammatic views, Figs. 6 to 11, inclusive. In these views, let the cylinder be represented by A, the piston B, mlet valves as C, D, and

a enine hand safety valve J, right hand safety valve K, left hand outlet-valve-actuating cam L, right hand outlet'valve-actuating cam M, left hand inlet-valve-actuating cam N, right hand inlet-valve-actuating cam 0. These letters refer to the sameparts in each view.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings, I have shown the parts in the position as illustrated in the structural views, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, which, it will be assumed, is the initial position. In this position, the blowing engine piston B is about to begin its travel toward the right hand end of the cylinder. The outlet valves B, F, and also my safety valves J, K, areclosed. The outlet valve E is positively held closed by the cam L, While the cam 'll/l is in a position to permit opening of the outlet valve F, but there is no pressure in the cylinder H to open the valve F, and as my safety valve K is closed, no pressure can enter the cylinder H, and consequently the valve F will remain closed. The cams N and O are in such positions that the inlet valve C is positively opened and the inlet valve D is positively closed. After the blowing engine piston B has begun its travel to the r1 ght and has reached a predetermined pgsition, such for instance, as indicated at in dotted lines, my safety valve K will have shifted sufficiently to come into an open position and thereby establish communication from the blowing engine cylinder A, through the conduit into the cylinder H, beneath the piston therein, whereby the outlet valve F will be opened by reason of the air pressure passing from the blowing engine cylinder through the conduit into thecylinder H. By reason of the opening of the outlet valve F, the air compressed by the piston B is free to escape into the mains.

'Whenthe blowing engine piston B has traveled to the right to another predetermined position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7,- and designated Z, the valve K will have reached a position to close communication from the blowing cylinder A to the cylinder H, and at the same time will have moved to vented position so as to establish communi cation from the cylinder H to the. atmosphere, whereby no air will be trapped beneath the piston in the cylinder H, when the cam M positively closes the outlet valve F, which closing of the valve F occurs when the blowing engine piston B reaches the extreme right-hand end of its movement.

In order that the cams L and M of my safety valves J and may be properly actuated, the eccentric on the stpam or other engine for moving said cams isv set ninety degrees backof the crank of the engine, as

shown diagrammatically in Figs. 6 to 11,

till

inclusive, the crank being designated B and the eccentric S. Fig. '6 shows the piston B at the head end of its stroke, and the eccentric S being set ninety degrees in rear of the crank R, is in central position, with the outlet valves E, F, closed, and my safety valves J, K, closed. When the piston B has traveled to the right to the position X, in Fig.

6, the eccentric S will have traveled-in the direction of the arrow to the position S, a

thereby moving the valve K to its opening position, sa d valve K remaining open until the eccentric reaches the position S when said valve will be closed. When the giston B reaches 1ts mid-position, as in Fig. the

valve K will be wide open. When the eccentric has reached the position S the piston B will have reached the position Z, from which it will be understood that the valve K is open only during the movement of the piston B, from X to Z, and as will hereinafter appear, said valve K will remain closed while the piston B is traveling from the position Z to its right hand limit, thence to its left hand limit, and back to the position X. It will also be understood that the valve K is open while the eccentric is traveling from S to S only, and remains closed during the remainder of the movement of the eccentric.

When the piston B reaches the'end of its stroke in the right hand direction, as shown in Fig. 8, the cam 0 will positively open the inlet valve D, and the cam N will positively close the inlet valve 0, and at the same time the cam M will positively close the outlet valve F, while the cam L will be moved to a position which will permit opening of the outlet valve E when pressure is admitted. to the actuating cylinder G. As the piston B travels back toward the left, the valve K remaining closed, as hereinbefore explained, no pressure can enter from the blowing cylinder A into the actuator cylinder H. However, the outlet valve F is positively held closed by the cam M, so that said valve cannot be opened, even if pressure was admitted to the actuating cylinder H. During the movement of the piston B to the left, up to the position designated Z,

the valve, J will remain closed, as and for the purpose explained with respect to the valve K, when the piston B in Fig. 6, moved hand limit, and thence to the position Z. When the piston B is traveling to the left from Z to X, the eccentric will be traveling from S to 8, during which period only the valve J is open.

From the foregoing explanation of the operation of my safety valves J and K, it will be understood that the valve K is open only during the movement of thelpiston B, from X to Z, and the valve J is open only during the movement of the piston B, from Z to X. In other words, my safety valve, which is open, is that safety valvetoward which the piston B is moving when traveling between the predetermined limits X and Z.

It will be noted that each safety valve, does not open during the initial movement of the piston B from either end of its stroke, because the valve is positively held closed during the initial movement of the piston from either end of its stroke, and the outlet valve toward which the piston is moving cannot open until the piston B has reached a predetermined position, either X or Z, whereupon the safety valve toward which the piston B is moving is opened by its valve gear, and sufficient pressure has been generated in front of the, piston to at least balance the normal pressure in the main, so that when the outlet valve opens, under the influence of the pressure in front of the piston B, the pressure in the cylinder will prevent the normal pressure in the mains from backing into the cylinder and requiring undue work on the part of the engine employed for actuating the blowing engine.

llVith the piston B traveling in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 9, should a superior pressure accumulate in the mains, say for instance by reason of a slip in the blast furnace, or a mistake on the part of the hot blast operator in controlling the valves of. the hot blast stove, such superior pressure would, of course, oppose the movement of the piston B, stop it, and then force it backwardly, thereby reversing the movement of the piston and also reversing the direction of running of the engine. This reversing of ,the blowing engine and the actuating engine might also occur by reason of the power of the actuating engine falling below that which is necessary to move the piston B of the blowing engine against the normal pressure in the mains, for instance by reason of the blowing out of a'steam header or any derangement of the valve gear of the actu ating engine.

With the piston B traveling to the left, as-in Fig. 9, should the movement of said piston be stopped and reversed, by reason of any of the occurrences hereinbefore explained, the piston B would be forced back to the right hand end of the cylinder, as in Fig. 10. At the moment of reversin the piston B, in Fig. 9, my safety valve f was open, thereby holding the outlet valve E open, and the eccentric S was traveling in a dlrection from S to S". When the direction of the piston B is reversed, the direction of movement of the cam Swill also be reversed, so that when the piston reaches the predetermined position Z, the eccentric S will have moved the valve gear so as to close the valve J and open the vent to the atmosphere, and when the piston B passes beyond the position Z, the eccentric S will move the cam L so as to positively close the outlet valve E and thereby prevent the abnormal pressure in the mains from entering the blowing cylinder A through the outlet valve E. During this backward movement of the piston, from its mid-position in Fig. 9, the outlet valve F will be held positively closed by the cam M, and the valve K still remains closed. F urtheremore, when the piston B reaches its right hand limit, as in Fig. 10, the cam M will have been moved to a position where the valve F could be opened if pressure were permitted to pass from the blowing engine cylinder A into the cylinder H, but as valve K remains closed, no such pressure can enter the cylinder H, and consequently the outlet valve F remains closed. As both of the outlet valves E and F are now closed, no pressure can enter the blow engine cylinder A from the mains. When the piston B, in its backward movement, reaches the right hand limit, the cams N and 0 will have reached such positions as to positively close the inlet valve D and positively open the inlet valve C, so that the back pressure which has entered the cylinder will escape to the atmosphere through the open valve C.

Should the backward momentum of the fly wheel continue the backward running of the blowing engine and steam engine, the piston B will, of course, move toward the left, as shown in Fig. 11. In moving backward from the position of Fig. 10, my safety valve K will remain closed until the piston B reaches the position Z, so that no pressure in the blowing engine cylinder A can enter the actuating cylinder H to open the valve F, and therefore the valve F remains closed. Also, the inlet valve D is held positively closed by the cam O; consequently, the piston B is pulling against a vacuum, which quickly brings the piston to a stop. During the backward movement of the piston B from the position in Fig. 10 to the position in Fig. 11, the cam L will have held the outlet valve E positively closed, so that no back pressure can enter the cylinder.

When the piston B has been stopped by the vacuum in the position shown in Fig. 11, there will be a vacuum at the right hand side of the piston, and atmospheric pressure at the left hand side of the piston B entering through the open valve C, whereby atmospheric pressure will move the piston B to the right and therefore resume the normal running of the blowing engine piston and the actuating engine. Under this movement of the piston B, of course my safety valve K will be opened, but as there is a vacuum at the right hand side of the piston B, there cannot be generated sufficient pressure to open the outlet valve F. When the piston B reaches its right hand limit and starts back in the left hand direction, normal conditions will have been restored in the valves and the valve actuating mechanism of the engine will then resume normal operation.

Having thus-described the invention, what I claim as new, is:-

1. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston working therein, an outlet valve for each end of the cylinder, an inlet valve for each end of the cylinder, a valve gear for successively opening and closing the outlet valves, means for holding closed the closed outlet valve and also for closing the other outlet valve on retrograde movement of the piston, and means for closing one of the inlet valves and opening the other inlet valve to vent the cylinder of the back pressure which reversed the movement of the piston.

2. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston working therein, an outlet valve for each end of the cylinder, fluid-actuated means for successively opening the outlet valves, each fluid-actuated means being in communication with the cylinder, and means controlled by the valve gear for maintaining open the communication from the blowing cylinder to the fluidactuated means of the open outlet valve during a predetermined movement of the piston and thereafter maintaining such communication closed and the fluid-actuated means vented. 3. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston working therein, an outlet valve for each end of the cylinder, fluid-actuated devices for successively opening the outlet valves, a conduit leading from the cylinder to each fluid-actuated device, a valve gear for successively closing the outlet valves, and means actuated by the valve gear for successively opening and closing the conduits.

4. In a blowingengine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston working therein, an outlet valve for each end of the cylinder, a fluid-pressure device for opening each outlet valve, a conduit leading from the cylinder to each fluid-actuated device, a valve gear for successively closing the outlet valves, and meansactuated by the valve gear'for maintaining closed the conduit to the outlet valve which is closed and for maintaining open the conduit to the outlet valve which is than open during a predetermined movement of the piston.

5. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston working therein, an outlet valve for each end of the cylinder, a fluid-actuated device for opening each outlet valve, a conduit leading from the cylinder to each fluid-actuated device, a valve in each conduit, said valve having a vent opening to the atmosphere when the valve is closed, and means actuated by the valve gear for opening and closing the conduit valves.

6. In a blowing engine, the combination of a blower cylinder, a piston therein, and means positively actuated by the piston driving mechanism for preventing continued retrograde'movement of the piston by establishing within the cylinder and on one side of the piston a vacuum in opposition to and capable of overcoming the retrograde movement of the piston.

7. In a blowing engine, the combination of a blower cylinder, a piston therein, and means positively actuated by the piston driving mechanism for preventing continued retrograde movement of the piston by opening communication from the cylinder to the atmosphere on one side of the piston on retrograde movement thereof and for establishing on the other side of the piston a vacuum in opposition to and capable of overcoming the retrograde movement of the piston.

8. In a blowing engine, the combination of a blower cylinder, a piston therein, and duplex means positivelyactuated by the piston driving mechanism, one for opening communication from the cylinder to the atmosphere on one side of the piston on retrograde movement thereof, and the other for establishing on the opposite side of the piston a vacuum in opposition to and capable of overcoming the retrograde movement of the piston.

9. In a blowing engine, a blower cylinder embodying at each end an inlet and an outlet valve and an air chest, a piston in the cylinder, a piston in each air chest connected with the respective outlet valves, a

conduit connecting each of the air chests blower piston driving mechanism for closing the inlet and outlet valves and for controlling the safety valves during each stroke of the piston.

11. In 'a blowing engine, a blower cylinder embodying at each end an inlet and an outlet valve and an air chest, a piston in the cylinder, a piston in each air cliest having the inner ends of their rods connected with the outlet valves and the outer ends of the rods projecting beyond the air chests, a conduit'conn'ecting each of the air chests with the cylinder, a safety valve included in each conduit, and means for actuating the safety valves to control passage of air from the cylinder to the chests and for engaging with the extended terminals of the air chest piston rods to move the latter in adirection to close the inlet and outlet valves.

12. In a blowing engine, a blower cylinder embodying at each end an inlet and an outlet valve and an air chest, a piston in the cylinder, a piston in each air chest having the inner ends of their rods connected with the outlet valves and the outer ends of the rods projecting beyond the air chests, a conduit connecting each of the'air chests with the cylinder, a safety valve included in each conduit, and means for actuating the safety valves to control passage of air from the cylinder to the chests and for engaging with the extended terminals of the air chest piston rods to move the lattercin a direction to close the inlet and outlet valves and to release the piston rods to permit the valves to open.

13. In a blowing engine, a blower cylinder embodying at each end an inlet and an outlet valve and an air chest, a piston in the cylinder, a piston in each air chest connected with the respective outlet valves and having the inner ends of their rods connected with the outlet valves and the outer ends of the rods projecting beyond the air chests, a conduit connecting each of the air chests with the cylinder, a safety valve included in each conduit, reciprocatory cams for engaging the terminals of the air chest piston ro s to close the outlet and inlet valves, and means operated by the cam shifting mechanism to actuate the safety valves.

14. In a blowing engine, a blower cylinder embodying at each end an inlet and an outlet valve and an air chest, 9. piston in the cylinder, a piston in each air chest connected with the respective outlet valves and having the inner ends of the rods connected with the outer valves and the outer ends of the rods projecting beyond the air chest, a conduit connecting each of the airchests with the cylinder, a safety valve included in each conduit, connected reciprocator cams for engaging the terminals of the air chest piston rods to close the outlet and inlet valves, and arms connecting the cam connecting mechanism and the safety valves to actuate the latter.

HENRY G. OREILLY. Witnesses:

ALBERT P. KAULVEY, FRANK C. Bnn'rnono. 

